The Westlock Thunderbirds
aren’t letting
their early season record
get them down
and are excited to be
playing at home for Friday
Night Lights Sept.
28, said head coach Jon
Kramer.
The Thunderbirds’
Wheatland Football
League season record
fell to 0-4 as the squad
dropped a 35-6 decision
Sept. 22 to the
Bonnyville Voyageurs
in Bonnyville.
“It was good. It was
another loss, but the
guys played extremely
well. We were really
tight right up until the
last few minutes of the
second quarter and
then we just ran out of
gas,” said Kramer.
“After the first quarter
we were blank at
0-0, which was huge for
us. We gave up a really
easy drive in the second
quarter and they were
up 7-0, but then we
forced a turnover and
marched down the field
and scored a touchdown,
but failed on the
two-point convert, so
we were basically two
yards away from leading
at one point.”
The Thunderbirds
threw for 129 passing
yards and forced four
turnovers, with two interceptions,
a fumble
recovery and a punt the
Bonnyville team couldn’t
make which resulted in
a sack.
“We made some big
plays, then we had
the four turnovers on
defense. Those are big
game-changers in a
competitive game, so
leaps were definitely
made this week against
a really good team,”
said Kramer.
The first half of the
season has been tough
as the Thunderbirds
have been punching
above their weight class,
playing against very
competitive and successful
teams. Kramer
said he expects his team
to be much more competitive
against Cold
Lake and Wainwright
the week after, as they
are at about the same
competition level.
“Our guys are expecting
to transition out of
just counting plays to
starting to win football
games,” he said, adding
everyone has been looking
forward and is excited
for their first home
game of the year.
Kick-off is at 7 p.m.
at the Westlock Elementary
School field,
but the afternoon will
be filled with familyfriendly
activities
meant to draw a big
hometown crowd to
cheer on the boys.
R.F. Staples will be
holding a pep rally at
2:30 p.m. that afternoon
in the main gym
and CONEX will be
putting on a digital
scavenger hunt for the
kids as well as a facepainting
booth, starting
around 5 p.m.
